Automatic dipping machine



Oct. 19, 1954 F. H. INE

AUTOMATIC DIPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l I; .1. l927 J INVENTOR.

FRANK H nv BY mm wb ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1954 F. H. m 2,691,956

AUTOMATIC DIPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 If .fiJ27 27 INVENTOR. FRANK H. INE' ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITEDSTATS i TT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved dipping machine.

The present invention has particular utility in providing a dippingmachine particularly adaptable for immersing chickens and turkeys whichhave been wrapped in a shrinkable, plastic material, such as aco-polymer of vinylidene and vinyl chloride, into hot water for thepurpose of causing the plastic material to shrink into tight conformitywith the birds carcass. It is understood, however, that the scope of theinvention is not limited or confined to any particular use or uses towhich the device may be put.

It has become common practice among many processors of chickens andturkeys to enclose the eviscerated birds within a bag made of a plasticmaterial of a type characterized by its tendency to shrink to apronounced extent when the material is doused With or immersed in hotwater. One such type of plastic material frequently used by turkeyprocessors for the above purpose is a co-polymer of vinylidene and vinylchloride, produced commercially by the Dow Chemical Company and which issold under the trade description Saran.

Perhaps the most frequent method employed today in dousing the packagedbirds with hot water involves moving the packaged fowl into a spraychamber and past a series of nozzles which spray hot water on thepackages. This practice has not been found too satisfactory for severalreasons--one being that the streams of hot water upon striking thepackage disperse into droplets or streams of water over the packagecausing a consequent varying of water temperature throughout the entirearea of the package material and which may result in non-uniformshrinkage of the plastic. Another attendant disad vantage in employing aspray nozzle system is that the hot water which is continuouslyrecirculating through the system picks up sediment and residue from thebags, which, in turn, tend to clog the nozzles or circulating pump withresultant inelficiency in operation of the system.

The present invention may be employed to automatically lower and raiseone or more packaged fowl at a time into and out of a tank of hot water,which insures subjecting all areas of the package material to water ofuniform temperature.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clipping tank whereinnovel switch and driving means are provided to automatically lower andraise the load supporting dipping carrier into and out of the dippingtank upon loading of packaged fowl or other articles to be clipped ontosaid carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dipping tank having anovel load supporting carrier, comprising an endless belt conveyor, forfacilitating the loading and unloading of articles onto and off of thedipping carrier.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following specification and referring to theaccompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference representcorresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the dipping tank construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and showing thetank in association with loading and unloading conveyors illustratedfragmentarily.

' Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the dipping tank construction.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the starting switch actuatingassembly in one position of operation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the starting switch actuatingassembly in a second position of operation. 7

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of theinvention illustrated comprises, generally, a tank unit A, a loadsupporting carrier B, a carrier support and suspension assembly C, adriving assembly D, and switch actuating assembly E.

Tank unit A comprises, more specifically, an open top insulated tank 6adapted to contain a reservoir of hot water I, or other immersingliquid. The tank is preferably provided with suitable inlet and outletports 8 and 9 for filling and emptying the tank with the immersingliquid. Moreover, suitable heating means, such as steam pipe It, may beprovided to heat the liquid to desired temperature. Such filling,draining, and heating means are well-known in the art and do not, perse, constitute a part of the present invention.

Carrier assembly B preferably comprises an endless conveyor beltcomprising a rectangular frame I2, to opposite ends of which isjournaled in spaced, parallel relationship, a belt drive shaft 93, and aplurality of idler shafts or rollers I4, all of which cooperate tosupport an endless, flexible, metal mesh or link type conveyor belt I6.

Belt drive shaft [3 is provided with a pinion 13a which is adapted tomesh with a drive pinion I5 rotatably journaled to the tank and adaptedto be driven by motor I511 to which said pinion is connected by asuitable conventional gear reduction drive 20. As will appear more fullyhereinafter, when the carrier occupies its maximum upward or loadreceiving position (preferably substantially coplanar with the open topof the tank), the conveyor may be power driven to facilitate loading andunloading of articles tobe dipped by virtue of the mesh engagementbetween pinion 13a and drive pinion I5.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to opposite ends of frame B2 are apair of vertical channels H which project above said frame and carry aplurality of horizontal, vertically spaced, par-- allel shelf supports58 adapted to slidably retain a wire shelf I9. Wire shelf l9 may beinserted. in any one of the pairs of shelf supports l8 in adjustablepaced-parallel relationshi labove the carrier. The purpose of the shelfis to maintain thepackaeed: fowl or: other; article to. be: dippedonthe-l carrierwhen the latter is dipped.- into; the immersingliquidandto. prevent saidant-icles; fromfloating; off the carrierduring; dipping; operations.

The carrier issupported for verticar reciprocal movement. downwardly andupwardly into; and out. of immersing position. within. said tank, byvertical; channel guidewaysi 2|; secured tooppo-- site ends, of the,tank; and adapted to. slidablyreceive; and" guide; channels: I1 of. thecarrier..

To lower and raise the carrier intoandoutpof the tank I provide anelectriczmotor: 2.2. which, through suitable-reductiongearing 3,18. adape to rotate crank arm 24 at desired. lJBem Thecarrier. assemblyB;.inzturnl .iszconnectedito crank arm 24 by cable means comprising main.cablezfi-andw branch cables; 21 More p cifically; the

lower; end of. main: cable 26; is.- rotatably secured: to crank: arm' 2491116.: the; upper'end: of saidcable;

is secured to branch cables 21, which in turn runover suitable. guidepulleys. 28;: proyided n: the frame support assembly C and areSecurely'connested; as. at 2-8;. to, channels; .WEOf'. said carrier.

It. isbelieved evident. that. ascrankarm; 24- is ,-ro.- tated by motor22, the cables suspending thecarrier: will be: reciprocatedsso'as to;raise and lower the carrier; into andoutofthe-tankr. lnzEi'g'. 1, forexample, it is evident that; asthe crank arm.

rotates from; its maximum down position, as shown; through. 180, to: itsmaximumv up posie tion-,, cables 2.62 and 21: will; lower; the carrier:to" itsimmersing position (as-shown inbroken lines), and continuedrot'ationof said-crank arm througha 360 back to its down position will.raise; thecarriergback to; its originalload receiving posi- 111011;.

Ashereinaboye" suggested, it a. principal' object of: the invention. to.provide means for auto.- matically lowering and raising the. carrierinto/- andout of immersin position within the; tank upona. load: beingmoved. onto the carrier, It is a further object. to provide means forauto-- matically stoppingmovement of the-carrier after it has moved,through one revolution: of. crank arm 24 from its load receivingposition downwardly to its immersing position and back to its-loadreceiving-position;

To fulfill these desiredends; and objects-there is provided a. switch.actuating assembly,- heretofore designated generally at E. Morespecifically, said assembly. comprises a shaft 3] supported rotatablyinbearings-M provided-on said; tank and, carrying one or moraupwardlypro jecting fingers 33. This latter described assembly is mounted on atop edge of the tank and positioned adjacent a suitable loadingstructure or mechanism, shown in the drawings as com prising aconventional loading conveyor belt unit 3%. Articles to be clipped, suchas packaged fowl (not shown) moving along conveyor 3t and onto carrierB, will strike against and move downwardly the fingers 33 causing shaftiii to rotate counterclock\vise. within its bearings. 32;. Shaft iii inturn, is connected by suitable link means to switch 35 in circuit withmotor 22.

The aforementioned link means is shown as comprising. a. first link arm36 rigidly affixed to shaft 3| and depending downwardly therefrom; asecond link arm 3i connected pivotally, as at 3.3. to. arm 35.; a bellcrank comprising arms 38 and 4! centrally pivotally supported as at M tothe tank and pivotally connected to arm 3'! as at 42; and a switch leveractuating cam 43. In operation the movement: of-fingers 33. downwardlyupon a load moving thereagainst and thereover from; conveyor 34-tocarrier B; will rotateshaft'm counter-clockwise and. cause ar-m-. 3.6-to swing. to. the right,. as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and-6, This. lattermovement will, by virtue of link connec-- t-ions 31, 38, and.- 42; causecam 43 carried by bell crank arm 39 to move upwardly into cam.engagement against switch lever 35a, when-the latter is in its down andoff' position. In short,! movement of fingers 33 downwardly upon a.load: moving thereover-from loading conveyor. 34 onto carrier B will,through,- the above described. link: means, automatically. cam.the-switch lever 35a of switch 35 upwardly and close the circuit. toelectric motor 22. As above mentioned, actuationof. the-motor will causecrankarm 24 to. rotate: and. the consequent lowering andraising. of the.carrier into and out of. the tank;

In order to automatically stop movement of the carrier after-a completedipping cycle, as aforesaid, there is provided a switch cam- 46.adapted, to move upwardly and downwardly with cab1e.25,,to.-whichsaidcam isafiixed. The upperinside face of cam 46 is concave;tomermitthe: cam, to by-pass switch'lever 3.5a at: the commencement of adipping cycle. More specifically. when the machine'is at. rest and thecarrier occupies its: normal load: receiving position switch lever 3512will occupy its down. position, fingers- 373. will occupy their upwardprojecting position,. and camllfiwill occupy aposition slightly belowswitchlever 35a, as shown. in Fig; .4, for EXF' ample. When a. load. ismoved against the fin:- gers 33,- as aforesaid, switch cam 43/ will:ins-- stantly cam switch-lever35a into its upp positiony and I as crank:arm- 2.4 commences torotate, thearcuate face. 41- of cam 46 carried" bycable 26 Willlmove upwardly into contact with said switch' lever; Asthis upwardcable movement progresses: the concave face 41' of the camwill cam itself outwardly-permitting said cam to by-pass said switchlever-this being, possible because of'thev flexibility of the cablepermitting the-cam to: move out of a vertical straight line. path ofmovement.

After the carrier has moved downward. to. its-1 immersing position andduring its last inch or' two of travel back upto itsload receiving posi=tion, the underside or cam face 48 of cam: 4611- will move downwardlyagainst the switch lev'er 35a and cam it to its downor offiposition,thereby opening the circuit and shuttingJOiT' the. motor atapproximately the momentthecarrier returns; to its load; receiving:position. It is. further:

pointed out that as cam '48 moves switch lever downwardly against cam 43carried by bell crank 39-42 and, through aforementioned link elements37, 35, and 3|, cause fingers 33 to move back to their upwardlyprojecting position. In short, movement of cam 48 against switch lever35a will not only automatically cause shutting ofi of the motor, butwill retract the starting switch actuating means, including load contactfingers 33, and place'the same in condition for commencement of a newloading and dipping cycle.

It has heretofore explained how pinion I3 is adapted to mesh with drivepinion l5 connected to prime mover 28 when the carrier occupies its loadreceiving position. When these pinions are in mesh, the endless conveyorcan be operated simply by switching on motor [5a through anyconveniently located switch (not shown) in circuit with the motor. Theadvantages of this arrangement may be readily understood by havingreference to Fig. 3 in the drawings wherein it is seen that continuousmovement of a load from load conveyor 24 may be continued on to anydesired location upon the carrier itself by operating the carrierconveyor belt. Similarly, after completion of a dipping cycle and priorto movement of a new load onto the carrier, the load which had beendipped may be conveyed ofi of the carrier onto an unloading conveyor 50,or like structure, by operating the carrier conveyor belt. Such anarrangement greatly minimizes or entirely eliminates the need for manualloading or unloading of articles onto or off of the dipping machine.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be practicedwithin the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dipping tank construction for use in association with a loadingstructure located adjacent thereto, comprising; an open top reservoirtank adapted to contain an immersing liquid, a load supporting anddipping carrier supported for reciprocal vertical movement from a loadreceiving position adjacent the open top of said tank downwardly to animmersing position within said tank and back to said load receivingposition, driving means including electrical means for reciprocallymoving said carrier from its load receiving position to its immersionposition and back to its load receiving position, a switch foractivating said driving means, switch actuating means located adjacentsaid carrier and in the plane of said load receiving position of saidcarrier, said switch actuating means sensitive to physical contact of a.load moving thereagainst for automatically actuating said switch andactivating said driving means upon a. load being moved from an adjacentloading structure against said switch and onto said carrier.

2. A dipping tank construction according to claim 1 and wherein saiddriving means including electrical means comprises an electric motor incircuit with said switch, a pulley cable suspending said carrier forreciprocal movement into and out of said tank, and means comprising acrank arm driven by said motor and connected to said pulley cable forimparting downward and upward reciprocating motion to said pulley cableand carrier supported thereby upon rotation of said crank arm.

3. A dipping tank construction according to claim 1 and wherein saidcarrier comprises an endless conveyor, and means for driving said Iconveyor when said carrier occupies its load receiving position.

4. A dipping tankconstruction according to claim 1 and wherein saidcarrier comprises an endless conveyor, a driving source located inrelatively fixed position with respect to said conveyor, and couplingmeans comprising mutually engageable and disengageable first and secondcoupling elements for connecting said driving source to said conveyorwhen the carrier occupies its load receiving position, said firstcoupling element carried by said conveyor, and said second couplingelement connected to said driving source and located in relatively fixedposition with respect to said carrier for coupling engagement with saidfirst coupling element when said carrier occupies its load receivingposition.

5. A dipping tank construction according to claim 1 and wherein saidcarrier comprises an endless conveyor including a drive shaft and apinion mounted on said shaft, a drive gear mounted rotatably in fixedposition relative to said carrier for mesh engagement with said pinionwhen said carrier occupies its load receiving position, and a primemover connected to said driving gear for driving said conveyor via saiddrive gear, said pinion, and said shaft when said carrier occupies itsload receiving position.

6. A dipping tank construction for use in association with a loadingstructure located adjacent thereto, comprising; an open top reservoirtank adapted to contain an immersing liquid, a load supporting anddipping carrier supported for reciprocal vertical movement from a loadreceiving position adjacent the open top of said tank downwardly to animmersing position within said tank and back to said load receivingposition, driving means for reciprocally lowering and raising saidcarrier from its load receiving position to its immersion position andback to its load receiving position, said carrier comprising an endlessconveyor to facilitate loading and unloading of a load adapted to besupported by said carrier, and means for driving said conveyor when thecarrier occupies its load receiving position.

7. A dipping tank construction according to claim 6 and wherein saidmeans for driving said endless conveyor comprises a prime mover locatedin relatively fixed position with respect to said conveyor and couplingmeans comprising mutually engageable and disengageable first and sec.and coupling elements for connecting said prime mover to said conveyorwhen the carrier occupies its load receiving position, said firstcoupling element carried by said conveyor, and said second couplingelement connected to said prime mover and located in relatively fixedposition with respect to said carrier for coupling engagement with saidfirst coupling element when said carrier occupies its load receivingposition.

8. A dipping tank construction according to claim 6 and wherein saidendless conveyor includes a drive shaft and a pinion mounted on saidshaft, and wherein said means for driving said endless conveyorcomprises a drive gear mounted rotatably in fixed position relative tosaid carrier for mesh engagement with said pinion provided on saidconveyor drive shaft when said carrier occupies its load receivingposition, and a prime mover connected to said driving gear for drivingsaid conveyor via said drive gear, said pinion,

V and said shaft when. saidcarrier occupies its-load receiving.-position;

9.v A :dipping tank. construction according, to: claim-6andwherein-said. driving meanscomprisesa switch and an electric motor incircuit with-said switch, a pulley cable suspending. said carrier for:lowering and: raising movement. into and out: of said'tank, and meanscomprising acrank arm drivenoby said motor and-connected tosaid pulleycable for imparting downward and upward reciprocating motiontosaidpulley cableand carr-ier said circuit, said. switch and associatedlever located proximate saidpulley cable, a switch lever actuating: camcarriedby said cable shaped and proportioned to cam: said: leveri arm:to it'sfirst position: and open; said: circuit as the cable movessaidcarrier. into itsload: receiving; position for automatically stopping;the driving; means and References" Gitedlint the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name: Date 1-,332,934- Tenca- Mar. 9, 1920117491219. Lindstrom Mar. 4, 1930 1,883,669 Ford- Oct. 18, 19322,025,467 Lovel-i'et' a1. Dec.'-24, 1935 2,428,115 Howard Sept. 30,1947

